The legendary British outfit Supertramp released this album in 1974, and it made the band a household name in numerous countries, where it charted in the Top 5; it even cracked the Billboard Top 40 in the U.S.
This reissue sees the record remastered at half-speed by Miles Showell at the revered Abbey Road Studios, which gives us a deeper clarity and detail for these eight timeless tracks.
“School” leads with Richard Davies' harmonica that suits the spacey climate, as grooves and rhythm enter thanks to Roger Hodgson’s meticulous guitar and Bob Siebenberg’s playful percussion. “Bloody Well Right” then follows with Davies’ frisky keys that help build into warm textures of prog-rock-fueled buzzing.
“Hide In Your Shell” and “Asylum” exit Side A. The former layers the harmonic voices and John Anthony Helliwell’s bright sax for both soft and busy bouts, and the latter pairs fluid keys with powerful singing that benefits from Dougie Thomson’s skilled bass.
The back half opens with the brighter mood of “Dreamer,” which stacks the voices on top of mesmerizing keys, and “Rudy” balances both sophistication and ruggedness to the Side B highlight. “If Everyone Was Listening” arrives late and employs Helliwell’s clarinet and the stirring strings via the cinematic landscape. The album exits with the title track, which weaves in and out of retro rock ideas with sophistication and adventurousness.
This was the first Supertramp release to feature Siebenberg, Helliwell and Thomson, which was a wise move since the group’s previous two albums didn’t see much commercial success. Crime Of The Century would be the start of a prolific and exciting time for Supertramp, and it looks like other albums from their pivotal years will also be seeing the reissue treatment as well.